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Things You Should Not Miss
1. Take a road trip down the park road between I40 and
Rt. 180. It takes you past or near all the major sites, including
the Puerco Pueblo ruins and the petrified wood. Distance 28 miles.
2. Take the time to watch the 20 minute film at the Painted Desert Visitor Center or the Rainbow Forest Museum, titled Timeless Impressions.
3. Don't miss the Giant Logs walk outside the Rainbow Forest Museum. It's less than a half mile long, but takes you past some of the biggest petrified wood around. One log, Old Faithful, is 10 feet wide. No, it doesn't sput steam, but that would be cool, wouldn't it! Now don't tell me you weren't thinking the same thing.
Painted Desert Visitor Center - Off Interstate 40. Serves as park headquarters and includes the orientation film, exhibits, and just north of the center, the historic Route 66.
Painted Desert Inn - This National Historic Landmark has been restored and is north of the Painted Desert Visitor Center.
Rainbow Forest Museum - Several miles inside the southern entrance, the museum includes the orientation film, exhibits, and is the starting point for the Giant Logs, Long Logs, and Agate House trails.
Ranger Guided Walks - On various topics held throughout the year. See the park visitor center for the week's or day's activities. Some topics covered include a Petroglyphs walk, Puerco Pueblo walks, Triassic Park Walk, Painted Desert Inn tours, and Crystal Forest walks.
Hubbell Trading Post National Park
Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Walnut Canyon National Monument
El Morro National Monument
Grand Canyon National Park
Wupatki National Monument
2. Take the time to watch the 20 minute film at the Painted Desert Visitor Center or the Rainbow Forest Museum, titled Timeless Impressions.
3. Don't miss the Giant Logs walk outside the Rainbow Forest Museum. It's less than a half mile long, but takes you past some of the biggest petrified wood around. One log, Old Faithful, is 10 feet wide. No, it doesn't sput steam, but that would be cool, wouldn't it! Now don't tell me you weren't thinking the same thing.
What is There Now
Visitor's Centers and MuseumsPainted Desert Visitor Center - Off Interstate 40. Serves as park headquarters and includes the orientation film, exhibits, and just north of the center, the historic Route 66.
Painted Desert Inn - This National Historic Landmark has been restored and is north of the Painted Desert Visitor Center.
Rainbow Forest Museum - Several miles inside the southern entrance, the museum includes the orientation film, exhibits, and is the starting point for the Giant Logs, Long Logs, and Agate House trails.
Ranger Guided Walks - On various topics held throughout the year. See the park visitor center for the week's or day's activities. Some topics covered include a Petroglyphs walk, Puerco Pueblo walks, Triassic Park Walk, Painted Desert Inn tours, and Crystal Forest walks.
Lodging and Camping
There are no lodging and camping facilities in Petrified Forest National Park, but those facilities exist in the towns and area outside the park. Check your favorite online travel site or the local tourist agencies and board for the choices that meet your needs. Backcountry camping is available in the park Wilderness Area with a free permit.Petrified Forest Links
Petrified Forest National ParkNearby Attractions
Arizona Office of TourismHubbell Trading Post National Park
Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Walnut Canyon National Monument
El Morro National Monument
Grand Canyon National Park
Wupatki National Monument
Petrified Forest Then and Now
Petrified Forest Then |
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The History-
It's an archaelogical wonder, with artifacts dating back thousands of
years, including those petrified trees plus objects from Hope and
Navajo cultures, plus the Anasazi, Mogollon, and Sinagua sites.
Puerco Pueblo, the ruins of the ancestral Puebloan, shows how
their culture lived between 1200 and 1400 AD. It is located near
the midpoint of the park. The Agate House, built from pieces of
petrified wood, was built around 1100 AD. It is located in the
area of the Rainbow Forest Museum.
How did Indian culture think of the petrified wood? For the Paiute they believed the logs were arrow shafts of the thunder god Shinuav. For the Navajo, they thought the logs were the bones of the monster Yietso. But the history does not stop there, and for those that like a little modernity in their history, there in the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps and Route 66, plus the history of the park itself, which began as the Petrified Forest National Monument in 1906, before becoming a national park in 1962. |
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Petrified Forest Now |
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The Hikes - Six main trails take you to some of the best locations and range in difficulty and length. Painted Desert Rim Trail - 1 mile. Puerco Pueblo Trail - 0.3 mile. Takes you through the ruins of the 100 room pueblo, as well as petroglyphs. Blue Mesa Trail - 1 mile. Moderate difficulty. Crystal Forest Trial - 3/4 mile. Giant Logs - Less than 1/2 mile. This is where the largest logs exist, including Old Faithful, which is nearly 10 feet wide. Long Logs/Agate House Trails - 2.6 miles total, but can be walked separately. Near the Rainbow Forest Museum. The Agate House is built from pieces of petrified wood.
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